Thread: Wiping the Blade

Hello all, I've been reading a bit but this will be my first post.

I've been shaving with a green holder shavette for a couple months now, and my first razors and strop are one the way at this moment.

I know there's probably no definitive answer, but I'd like to hear thoughts on wiping the blade during a shave.

Should wiping with a cloth be avoided?
If not, what kind of cloth is preferable, and what technique should be used? i.e. stropping motion
With what frequency should you wipe the blade, or if it's just preference what are the common results of higher or lower frequency wiping?

Appreciate any thoughts, and look forward to talking with everyone.

Thanks
glenn

I'm new to straights myself, but I like to use a wet washcloth to wipe the blade during my shave. I just lay it on the counter edge and wipe as needed. Seems to work ok for me.

I rinse and then wipe in a stropping motion on any ordinary towel. Never had a problem.

X

I rinse the blade in running water between strokes. When I'm finished, I dry with a stropping motion on a towel.

Originally Posted by iamjackscolin

Should wiping with a cloth be avoided?
If not, what kind of cloth is preferable, and what technique should be used? i.e. stropping motion
With what frequency should you wipe the blade, or if it's just preference what are the common results of higher or lower frequency wiping?

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about wiping.

I'm not sure if I'm in the majority or not but I rinse (VERY cafefully!) the blade under running water when it gets to the point of dripping or when I need to clean the blade to get a better view of what I'm doing or sometimes when I'm doing the upper lip so I don't push lather up my nose. The main reason I rinse is I'm lazy and it's just one less thing I have to clean up. If you rinse I can't stress enough how careful you have to be...it's real easy to put a ding in your blade (or worse your skin) with a moment of inattention.

I don't think what you wipe with (cloth or tissue) is important as being careful not to cut your chosen medium as it will dull the blade.

I flirt with potential disaster to the razor and rinse periodically under hot water in the sink. After shaving I flirt with potential disaster to my fingers by pinching a dry towel around the razor's spine and draw the towel from heel to toe slowly and with some pressure. Then I strop on leather 30-35 times and put the razor away.

Chris L

I typically clean the razor with running water while I am shaving. When I am finished however, I use a towel to remove the excess water from the blade, strop it a few times and leave the razor open until it dries. When the blade is completely dry, I close the razor. I like the way I do it but could not think why other ways of dealing with this would not be equally effective.

Al raz.

Mostly, I wipe the bade against a cloth on the edge of the sink. But I only allow the spine to make contact, I keep the blade edge 1/8-1/4" above the cloth. This removes the bulk of the lather without risk of damaging the edge. Also the remaining lather on the blade helps lubricate the strokes that follow.

I rinse the razor and wipe with a hand towell after every stroke with the razor.

Never had a problem.

Lynn

I just wipe it off on the towel I am wearing after the shower, trying to avoid getting the carbon steel wet or banging the blade on the faucet.